Faculty Retention

Purpose: 

To outline policies, procedures, and expectations surrounding the extension of preemptive or counteroffers to retain faculty pursuing employment at competing institutions. 

Relevant Definitions: 

Preemptive offer: an offer made to a faculty member prior to any job offer being made by a competing institution. Preemptive offers are typically at the stage of the faculty member being offered to interview at a competing institution. Preemptive offers might also come later, after an interview has occurred but before a faculty member has been announced as a finalist or extended an offer. 

Counteroffer: an offer made to a faculty member in response to a formal job offer made by a competing institution. 

EVPP: The Provost Office; specifically Faculty Affairs and the EVPP Faculty Retention Evaluation Committee (senior vice provost for academic affairs, senior vice provost for faculty affairs, senior vice provost for resource management, and vice provost for faculty diversity, equity, and inclusivity).

Process:  

1. Faculty member discusses retention specifics (i.e. outside offer(s), invitation, etc.) with Department Chair.
2. Department Chair assesses retention case and approaches the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs with details, being mindful of EVPP retention expectations. 
3. Department Chair and Associate Dean negotiate retention terms.
4. If a formal retention offer is agreed upon, Department works with the Associate Dean to assist the Dean and COLA HR in submitting required materials to the Provost.
   1. The Dean's Office will ask the Chair to create a draft letter (from the Dean to the Provost), including the following information:
      1. An overview of the situation and the strategic importance of retaining the faculty member at UT Austin within the context of initiatives within the school/college.
      2. A short description of the faculty member’s record of excellence and impact of the faculty member’s work related to scholarship/creative activity and/or contributions to UT Austin through their teaching, mentorship of students, leadership, service and contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion.
      3. Assessment of the quality of the competing program relative to the faculty member’s discipline at UT Austin (for counteroffers). If the competing program is not a peer, provide a strong justification for why a retention offer is warranted.
      4. Brief discussion of the impact of the proposed salary increase on the salary structure within the department/division/unit and the other faculty members who would be adversely impacted within the department/division/unit.
      5. Summary of any counteroffers or preemptive retention offers extended to the faculty member within the past five years.
5. COLA HR creates a retention record in the Offers Database and submits any materials as required per Provost procedures.
6. Upon conclusion of negotiations, COLA HR will complete the retention record in the Offers Database, and submit the record and the draft retention offer to the Associate Dean for approval.
7. Following the Associate Dean’s final review and approval, COLA HR will provide the approved offer letter to the Department to send to the faculty member.
8. Department returns signed retention offer (or rejection) to COLA HR.

Policy Notes: 

• EVPP and COLA approval are required for all retention decisions and terms, regardless of the decision and source of support. 
•  Upon acceptance of a retention offer, the College leadership would not expect to respond to other outside offers for that faculty member within the next three years. 

Related Links:

Provost Office Guidelines for Faculty Retention: https://provost.utexas.edu/the-office/faculty-affairs/faculty-retention-offers/